Strawberry Pretzel Salad is a Classic Summertime Treat!
If you like treats that blend sweet and salty flavors, make strawberry pretzel salad as a tasty summertime dessert!
The perfect strawberry dessert recipe is here! 🍓🥨
This popular potluck dessert known as strawberry pretzel salad features layers of strawberries, Jell-O gelatin, and sweetened cream cheese served on top of a buttery pretzel crust. It’s a delicious old-fashioned dessert salad to consider for any party or occasion.
What I love about this strawberry pretzel salad recipe is not only how simple it is to make, but that it’s also got the best sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy flavors and textures.
Can you make strawberry pretzel salad ahead of time?
Yes! Since this dessert takes time for the gelatin to set up, you’ll actually need to make it ahead of time. consider preparing it in the morning before you serve it at a gathering later in the day. You can even make strawberry pretzel salad the night before. It’s best to consume it within a few days, however.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
yield: 18 SERVINGS
prep time: 20 MINUTES
cook time: 4 HOURS 10 MINUTES
total time: 4 HOURS 30 MINUTES
This delicious strawberry pretzel dessert is crunchy, creamy, fruity, and easy to make!
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust:
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 3 cups pretzels, crushed
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed (or whipped cream)
Strawberry Gelatin Topping:
- 32 oz. frozen or fresh strawberries, sliced
- 6 oz. strawberry gelatin
- 2 cups water, boiling
Directions
1
For the Pretzel Crust:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use a food processor or blender to crush the pretzels. In a bowl, combine crushed pretzels, butter, and sugar. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9"×13" baking dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees until set, and let cool.
2
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
Cream together the sugar and softened cream cheese, and fold in the whipped topping.
Spread this mixture on top of the pretzel crust. Make sure to spread it all the way to the edges of pan to create a barrier between the gelatin and crust. I recommend placing the pan back in the fridge to cool while you're making the gelatin portion.
3
For the Strawberry Gelatin Topping:
On the stove, boil water and dissolve gelatin. Pour in the sliced strawberries.
Let the mixture sit for a few minutes and then pour it over the cream cheese layer. Place in the fridge until the gelatin completely sets up. It could take about 4 hours in the fridge.
4
Once the gelatin has set, slice it into squares, serve & enjoy!
Additional Notes
Adapted from Food.com
Tips for making the best strawberry pretzel salad:
-
- Feel free to use raspberries and raspberry gelatin if you prefer a more tart berry flavor.
- Throw a few blueberries on top and you’ll have a red, white, and blue patriotic dessert for Memorial Day, 4th of July, or Labor Day!
- I’ve made this recipe with frozen and fresh strawberries. It really is a matter of preference and it will be delicious either way.
- If you need a gluten-free option, be sure to choose gluten-free pretzels for the crust.
- Add chocolate syrup drizzle to the top – it gives you that little bit of chocolate fix that pairs so nicely with the strawberry flavor!
This simple dessert is always a home run!
My family goes crazy over strawberry pretzel salad, and it tastes even better than it looks. The crust is crunchy, almost like toffee, and the creamy middle is so creamy and YUM! Enjoy! 😋
Can’t get enough strawberries? Check out these other yummy recipes…
I forgot about this! One of my favorites! Thanks for the reminder!
I make this every summer and it is a hit! Everyone loves it, and I get asked to bring it to family gathers. If you haven’t tried it, just give it a go, you won’t regret it. Very easy to make too.
Oh that’s great!
My favorite! Also I remember a similar version with blueberries and pineapple. Delicious!
I’ve made this with raspberries & raspberry jello too.
Absolutely the best tasting out of all! This is the only version I make as it is everyone’s favorite.
Awesome – sounds yum!
This is a big hit with our family. I make it when we all get together for special occasions. Our family enjoy it year round. 👍👍
I made this for a work potluck a few weeks ago and people looked at me funny. I said trust me and try it and they all loved it!
Oh haha! I agree so GOOD!
This is one of my favorite recipes!! It is so good!!
We have aways called this “Strawberry Pretzel Dessert”. There’s nothing “salad” about it. 🤣😂 Maybe it’s just our region that does this? PNW?
I’m from the Midwest and I think we look to classify anything as a salad! It’s definitely a dessert but I can hear my grandma saying “It’s healthy because there’s fruit in it” 😂
That’s so funny Nicole! I love it. I can just hear her say it, too! LOL
I call it dessert too ! Yummy no matter what you call it !
Southerner here. Anything at Thanksgiving with Jell-O in it (and usually marshmallows) qualifies as “salad.” Cranberry salad, pistachio salad, orange something salad.. we had all the colors. I never understood it.
I’m from MS & have family in AL. We’ve always called it Strawberry Pretzel Dessert too.
I’m from South Dakota originally, and have lived in Missouri for 12 years. I understand the salads with jello and marshmallows and such, but I would call this one a dessert because it’s layered. I suppose it’s whatever you learned, and probably varies even from one family to another in the same area
Make it with gluten free pretzels!! It doesn’t get as soggy for leftovers…if there are any! 😂😂😂 it’s the only way I make it now!
Wow great tip! Thanks so much!
I just made it with gluten free pretzels and they are more difficult to get to small crumb size even with my cuisinart. Just keep going. Also do not pour all the salt from the bag in as it makes the crust too salty. I double it for a large glass 10X14x3 pan.
Depends on the brand of pretzels you’re using!
Make it with gluten free pretzels! It’s not soggy if there are leftovers!! The best way to make it!!
Too many diabetics in my family..i make the crust out of pecans, use SF jello and vanilla coffee syrup to sweeten the cream cheese..even the non diabetics love it
That’s a great idea – thanks for sharing!
I think pecans is what my grandmother used too. Pretzels don’t taste right to me because of that.
I gotta try it this way! Thanks for sharing! My hubby’s side has a few diabetics so this would be great for their family gatherings!
Wow, thanks Becky! Your way sounds like a great option for anyone who wants or needs to limit sugar.
So how much Liquid French Vanilla Coffee cream is used to mix with Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese for middle layer
I LOVE this, so good
My favorite Maryland dessert! I was having a major craving for this at the beginning of quarantine and made it with a few adjustments and it worked perfectly. The secret is making sure the cream cheese layer doesn’t have any gaps and letting the jello firm up in the fridge to just under set before pouring on top or the pretzels will get soggy. My adjustments were using fresh strawberries and a few ice cubes since I didn’t have frozen. I also didn’t have cool whip so I whipped up some fresh whipped cream and that was bangin.
Awesome! Thanks so much for adding your tweeks 👍
I haven’t had this in years! Definitely making this summer. I feel like my Gram made it with crushed graham crackers? Or would that basically be cheese cake?
I think that sounds yummy too!
Can I make this a day in advance or will it get soggy?
I make this upside down, jello on the bottom, then bake the pretzel park on a cookie sheet break it up put it in a bag and top as we eat it or right before serving !
What is the amount of pecans, vanilla coffee syrup and jello that you use.
It says dissolve gelatin into the 2 cups of boiling water, but do we then add the two cups of cold water like we’re making actual Jello? Thanks!
I’m from the south as well & have always called it strawberry pretzel salad. My recipe is slightly different. It calls for crushed pineapple (drained, save the juice) plus save the juice from the thawed strawberries. If needed add a little water to juices in order to make 2 cps. for boiling to add jello to. Add the strawberries & c. pineapple to jello, place in freezer just long enough for it to begin to set before pouring it on top of other ingredients. Makes the topping much richer tasting.
Exactly! This is a staple at potlucks here in Savannah GA. I love the texture that the pineapple gives the topping. Also, we always use those frozen strawberries in liquid, not the new frozen “smoothy” strawberries or fresh ones.
This is very similar to the one I make, except my recipe has crushed pineapple mixed with the strawberry topping.
That sounds yummy too, Cat! Thanks for sharing your version! I may need to try it!
Such a fun treat! I always make each layer separate and serve it in big bowls. That way people can dish up how much they want of each and we don’t have to worry about it getting soggy.
What a fun idea! I think my kids would enjoy it that way! Thanks for commenting!
Our favorite desert! But instead of 1 cup of granulated sugar in the filling, we use 1 cup of powdered sugar. Much better tasting and fluffier.
Thanks for the tip, Alesia!
My grandma (rest in peace) made this with raspberries. It is my favorite dessert. I will try this!
We had this for Memorial Day dessert! So good. Leftovers were yummy for breakfast with coffee!
Oh yay! I agree so yum. Thanks for sharing!
This may be a dumb question, but if I save this to my “cook book” How do I find my Cook book later? I looked under the hiplist, but it’s not there…
This is a great question, sturgissaver! From the Hip2Save app, you’ll click the three lines in the top left-hand corner, then click “My Cookbook” to find your saved recipes. On the desktop site, if you hover over your profile picture in the top right-hand corner, there is a drop-down that pops up to click “My Cookbook” from there. Hoping this is helpful! 🤗❤️